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Young people 'struggling to cope'

More than one in ten young people in Wales feel they cannot cope with day-to-day life, according to a report by the charity, The Prince's Trust.

It says 11 per cent of the young people they surveyed who were not in employment, education or training are significantly more likely to feel unable to cope than their peers. The research comes at a time when youth unemployment in Wales stands at 23 per cent and long-term youth unemployment has been on the rise with a 262 per cent increase since the beginning of the recession.

The report - based on interviews with 2,136 16-to-25-year-olds across the UK - also shows how more than a quarter of young people (26 per cent) living in Wales did not have someone to talk to about their problems while they were growing up.

The report reveals how 42 per cent of young people living in Wales believe their prospects have been "permanently damaged" by the recession and almost a quarter (23 per cent) feel they have no future due to the economic crisis.

A frightening number of unemployed young people in Wales feels unable to cope - and it is particularly tough for those who don't have a support network in place._

We know at The Prince's Trust that it is often those from the most vulnerable backgrounds who end up furthest from the job market. Life can become a demoralising downward spiral - from a challenging childhood into life as a jobless adult. But, with the right support, we can help get these lives on track._